Lessons

What kind of lessons are available from Piano Hedgehog?

Lessons are given using a video-conferencing platform (Zoom or Skype).
(Unfortunately, Piano Hedgehog does not provide lessons at home).

Lessons are available to adults of any level or experience.
(Piano Hedgehog doesn’t offer tuition to under 18s, as research suggests they learn best with a teacher who is physically right there with them).

What kind of teaching ethos do you have?

I think it is incredibly important that musicians are comfortable with playing by ear and improvising. Too many ‘classical’ musicians are scared of improvisation (and, conversely, many ‘rock/pop’ musicians cannot read the notes written on a page). Having skills in both areas is undoubtedly the best way forward, as it allows you to be broader and more versatile in your musical performance.

Will I have to do music exams?

Only if you want to! There are pros and cons. Music exams do provide a good framework for your learning, and give a wonderful sense of achievement as you progress through the grades. However, they can be stressful and rather unnatural. In addition, they cater for the conventional approach of learning ‘classical’ style, but are much less interested in the improvisatory playing that comes from playing by ear.

How long will it take before I can play some songs/pieces?

We’re all different, and some students come to me with a fairly wide range of background experience or skills, perhaps from a previous period of learning the piano. In addition, we learn at different rates. One person may find a particular technique comes to them very easily, whilst for another student it may take months of hard work to fully master it.
However, with regular practice and patience, I am confident that we can have you playing some pretty nifty sounding tunes quite quickly!

How much do the lessons cost?

30 minute lessons are £15.00.
60 minute lessons are £30.00.
All tuition is one-to-one (no groups or shared lessons).

Your first THREE lessons will be TASTER LESSONS. These come with a generous 50% discount (£7.50 for 30 mins; £15.00 for an hour). This allows you to try it out before the standard rates apply.

What equipment will I need in order to have lessons?

• The Student will ideally have their own piano (or digital piano). If using a keyboard, this is absolutely fine, and we will discuss adapting the repertoire and playing style to get the best out of the instrument you have.
• The Student will ensure that they have a suitable webcam available which will allow the Tutor to view the Student’s hands on their piano/keyboard; a plug-in USB webcam is best for this, and a reasonable one can be purchased for around £20.
• The Student will also need to be able to view their computer screen during lessons.

OK, I want to book lessons! How do I do this?

Simply message me, and let me know you’d like to learn the piano! Just include your name, email and phone details, and I will make contact with you to discuss getting started.

Before our first lesson, it’s helpful if we can meet up and discuss what you want to get out of the lessons, and just talk through the process that lies ahead. Generally, I arrange this by means of a Zoom/Skype or phone call!